Conveyer



G. E. EDMUNDS CONVEYER Filed Sept. 16, 1927 June 17, 1930."`

Patented June 17, 1930 'UNITED STATES PATENT oFFvlcE GLENN E. EnMUNns, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, AssIGNOYIt rro THE BoNNEY-FLOYD OoMANY,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPAORA'JJIONv 0F OHIO v CONVEYER Appiica'tion mea september ie, 1927. serial No. 219,918.

is in asolid, semi-solid or liquid state. Conveyers of this type are known as pig casting machines.

These machines comprise broadly a pair of spacedendless chains supported by wheels 1g for movement over a trackway, the chains being connected by transversely extending traveling molds, into which molten metal VisA poured at one end of the machine and from which the cooled pigs or ingots are discharged Aat the opposite end of the machine. v

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved means for detachably connecting Vthe molds or buckets withthe links of the chains in order to facilitate the making of repairs and the sub- `25 the inventionto provide means for permitting of the removal of the molds or buckets without necessitating disconnecting the associated chain sections to permit this to be done. y

A further object resides in forming adjacent links of the chain structure of the machine to include upstanding lugswhich are receivable within recesses or slots provided Y in transversely extending chair plates which rest upon and are secured to the edge portion of said link, said chair plates being attachably connected with the ends of the mold bucket, the arrenge'ment being such that the mold buckets or the chair plates, 40 or both together may be quickly removed from association with the chain structure for repair or renewal purposes.

Other objects of the invention reside in locking the removable chair plates to associated link sections of the chain mechanism by means of removable pins, which pass through aligned openings provided inthe chair plates and the link sections; in the provision of means for preventing accidental 50 displacement of the principal locking pins;

in the provision of link sections which if damaged on one edge or side may be reversed with respect to their operating position within the chain mechanism and the use thereof continued, and invarios other "55 `features which will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

. For a further understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanyingdrawing,

wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a pig casting machine and disclosing more particularly the features of the present `in-V vention, y n,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism disclosed in F igurel l,

' Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 3*?) of Figure 2, A "l0 Figurel 4 is a perspective view of one of the chair plates utilized in carrying out the present invention,

Figure 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3. l "'15 Referring more particularly to the details of the present invention, as the latter has been illustrated in the single form of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawing, the numeral l designates the trackway ofa pig casting machine. Arranged to travel on this trackway are the wheels 2 of the conveyer structure of the machine. This conveyerl structure consists of a pair of chain sections, one ofk which, however, has been shown in the accompanying drawing. These chain sections are adapted to carry a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending mold buckets 4," which are supported by said chain sections'QO and moved longitudinally of the machine in endless paths. p

The chain sections herein depicted are formed to include transversely spaced longitudinally extending links 5, which have cer-Y tain of their ends inwardly bent as at 6 to provide recesses or seats for the straight ends of the adjoining complemental'links.

The ends of theselinks are 'provided withl registering openings for the receptionV of.` 10) axles 7 which rotatably receive the supporting wheels 2.

The links 5 are all of the same design and each thereof is formed centrally to include an upstanding lug 8. Corresponding lugs 9 integrally depend from the lower edges of said links.

Arranged to rest on the upper surfaces or edges of the links 5 are transversely extending chair plates 10, ,which have recesses 11 formed in their outer end to receive the lug 8 on the outermost link, and slots l2 provided adjacent their inner ends to receive the lugs 8 on the innermost of said links. The extreme inner ends of the chair plates are provided with vertical openings 13, and flanges 14 are integrally formed on the end of the mold buckets 4 and rest Vupon the innermost portions of the chair plates '10. The flanges 14 are provided with openings which register with the openings 13 in the chair plates, and fastening bolts 15 pass through these registering openings and are provided with threaded binding devices for the purpose of removably securing said mold buckets to the chain structure.

To removably connect the chair plates to adjoining link sections, said plates are provided with spaced depending lugs 16, which engage with the inner side of the links 5, as shown in Figure 8, and are provided with openings 17,which register with corresponding openings provided in the lugs 8 or 9. A pin 18 provided with a flat head- /ed portion 19 passes through these registering openings and thereby unites the chair plates with the link sections but permits of the convenient removal or separation thereof when the pins 18 are removed. Each chair plate has its outer edge provided, as shown in Figure 4, with a pair of depending tongues 20, which have their inner edges slotted as at 21. Arranged to pass through the slotted portion 21 of the tongues 20 for each chair plate is a cotter key 22 or its equivalent, which engages with the outer surface of the head 19 so as to lock the pin 18 in its applied and operative position, preventing accidental .removal thereof from such position during the ordinary operation of the machine. Y

In View of the foregoing it will be seen that in the event of injury to the chair plates or the associated mold buckets, repairs or replacements may be quickly made by first removing the Cotter pin 22 and then the principal pin 18. This permits the chair plate to be removed from engagement with the links of the chain sections and permit substitution of parts to be accomplished at both minimum time and expense. Moreover, the operation can be carried out without disconnecting the chain mechanism, a condition which has heretofore rendered repairs and replacements of this kind a laborious and time consuming operation.

While I have described what I consider to be the preferred form of the present invention, nevertheless it will be understood that various changes and variations in construction from that herein specifically illustrated and described may be made without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

,1. In a conveyer of the character described, a chain formed to include a pair of longitudinally `extending transversely spaced links, the intermediate portions of said linksbeing provided with lugs, a chair plate bridging said links and having slots formed therein for the reception of said lugs, said chair plate being provided with lugs having openings formed therein and disposedin registration with openings provided in the lugs of said links, a headed pin removably positioned Within said openings, a mold bucket carried by one end of said chair plate, and a transversely extending pin carried by the opposite end of said chair plate and arranged to engage with the headed end of said first named pin to lock the latter in its applied position.

2. In a conveyer of the class described, a chain including a pair of transversely spaced links, a chair plate bridging said links and provided with depending lugs engageable with the inner sides of said links, said lugs and links being provided with registering openings, a headed pin removably received Within `said openings, a mold bucket carried by said chair plate,

and a pairl of recessed tongues formed with one end of said chair plate and adapted to receive a transverselyY extending locking key, said key being disposed in registration with said pin to normally prevent the withdrawal of the latter from said opening.

3. In a conveyer of the class described,

a pair of link sections, said link sections being provided midway of their length .with apertured lugs, a chair plate bridging said links and provided with slots for the reception of said lugs, a mold bucket carried` by said chair plate, a pin positioned removably within registering openings formed in said links and chair plate to separably unite said chair plate with said links, and recessed tongues formed upon the outer edge of said chair plates for the reception of a transversely extending key, said key serving to confine said pin in its operative position uniting said chair plate with said links.

4. The combination with a pair of oppositely disposed reversible links, a chair plate extending transversely of said links, eachof said links being formed centrally on its kopposed side edges with seats for the reception of said chair plate, means extending transversely of said links and removably lretaining said plate upon said seats, and means carried by said plate and serving to hold said retaining means in its applied position upon said links.

5. In a pig casting machine, a chain having a pair of duplicate links, each link being formed intermediate of its ends with projections extending from the opposite edges thereof, a chair plate extending transversely of said links having openings for `the reception of said projections, depending lugs formed with said plate and en ageable With the inner sides of said lin s, a pin passing through said projections and lugs and positioned transversely of saidv links, a mold bucket adapted to be Carried by one dnd of said chair plate, and a key carried by the other end of said plate and disposed exteriorly of the outer link, said key serving to retain said pin in its applied position upon said links. In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

GLENN E. EDMUNDS. 

